An intermediate transmission of the general type referred to above is already known in the prior art, such as disclosed in DE-PS 800 264. This intermediate transmission uses a cardan circle pair having an adjustable internally toothed ring. It will be seen that this transmission is very compact and enables the stroke of a reciprocating motion and the input-to-output phase relationship to be varied. A satellite drive by way of a crank pin is received in a compact manner in the adjustable internally toothed ring. Unfortunately, the step-down ratio of the intermediate transmission disclosed in this reference is fixed at 1:2. Only in this way does the point, comprising the output pin of the cardan circular pair, describe on the unit-size satallite a straight line passing through the center of the twice-unit-size internally toothed ring, the said point sliding with the interposition of a slide block in a slot in a rocker. The resulting reciprocating movement with a sliding guide requires some play or freedom of movement which causes unsteadiness and, over time, wear results increasing the unsteadiness. This intermediate transmission with a variable input-to-output phase relationship is therefore unsuitable for high-speed presses.
Other intermediate transmissions which provide a variable input-to-output phase relationship and which have different transmission ratios and rotatably disposed transmission elements adapted to be mounted without clearance and without wear are also known per se, for example, from DE-OS 2,228,939. This reference discloses a transmission having a variable phase relationship for the axial spreading movement of two distributing rollers in the inking units of a printing press, such rollers changing with one another. A serious disadvantage having very important practical consequences is that the drive element of such intermediate transmissions takes up considerable space and cannot therefore be accommodated on the input side of an offset press.